You must make an appointment to get services from the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) Permit and License Center. At your appointment, you can get help with:
- Permit applications, including:
- New applications with or without plans
- Make-safe permit applications
- Plan pick-up
- Copy request
- Request a permit fee wavier
- License applications and renewals.
- Appeals to Board of Licenses and Inspections Review (BLIR), Board of Building Standards (BBS), or Plumbing Advisory Board (PAB).
- The Permit and License Center doesn’t handle appeals to the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA).
Both virtual and in-person appointments may be available, depending on the service type. You’re limited to three filings per appointment.
Making an appointment
You can schedule appointments within the next 14 days.
To schedule an appointment, you must provide:
- Your first and last name.
- A valid email address.
- The number and type of applications you are submitting or picking up.
If you schedule the incorrect type of appointment, you will have to cancel your appointment and reschedule.
For permit and license applications
In-person appointments are available for:
- Permit and license applications and renewals
- Make-safe permit applications
- Plan pick-up
- Copy requests
Virtual appointments are available for:
- Assistance in filing a new permit or license application
- Make-safe permit applications
- Requesting a permit fee waiver
To make an appointment, use the Qless platform or call 311. If you’re outside of Philadelphia, call (215) 686-8686
To file both permits and licenses, you must make separate appointments. You can schedule one permit appointment and one license appointment per day.
During one appointment, you can either:
- File three permits and pick up any permits filed on paper.
- File three licenses.
For filing appeals
Only in-person appointments are available for filing an appeal with BLIR, BBS, or PAB.
- To make an appointment, use the Qless platform or call 311. If you’re outside of Philadelphia, call (215) 686-8686
Attending your appointment
Virtual appointments
Virtual appointments are conducted over Zoom.
You’ll receive an email with a Zoom link and instructions the night before or the morning of your appointment. You’ll be prompted to provide appointment information to access the meeting.
In-person appointments
In-person appointments take place at the Municipal Services Building (MSB), from Monday through Friday.
Municipal Services Building
1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
MSB, Public Service Concourse
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Do not arrive more than fifteen minutes before your scheduled time.
Bring photo identification, confirmation of appointment, and a copy of the permit invoice if you are picking up a permit and have not yet paid for it. The contractor’s license, insurance, and tax account must all be up to date.